Timesland football season starts with lots of new names

High school football season is here again.

The game's the same. Only some of the names have changed.

They say high school sports are about the names on the front of the jerseys, and pro sports are about the names on the back.

I'm not so sure about that.

Timesland is loaded with interesting names in 2013. Let's see how they might spell success for a team or two.

Interested in a vocation after graduating? Here's Glenvar's Ryan Painter, Blacksburg's Dylan Surface, Northside's Jacob Plaster and Martinsville's Harrison Toole.

Driver's ed class could be a ride with Jayson Carr of Galax, Ron Ford of Eastern Montgomery, Ryan Dent of North Cross and Carlos Basham of Northside.

Business teachers would love to have Rockbridge County's Trey Merchant, William Byrd's Baylor Buck and Radford's Dontae Billings.

Patrick County's music department must be in harmony with Bryan Scales and Danny Tuner.

Chemistry must be interesting with Cave Spring's Austin Beeker.

Don't like the food in the cafeteria? Commiserate with Bassett's Desmond Niblett.

How about a part-time job after school for Magna Vista's Christopher Bagwell?

Can't wait for Christmas vacation already? Cheer up with Alex Joy of Salem, and William Jolly and Dustin Sledd of Eastern Montgomery.

Forget a big test on the calendar? Check with Caleb Day of James River, Devan Weeks of Floyd County, Travis May of George Wythe and August Reavis of Galax.

And if you can't find the right street off Electric Road, call Patrick Henry's Cortez Ogden or Bryan Starkey.

What's the deal anyway? Covington's Trever Jack, Marion's Josh Queen, Glenvar's Zach Deck of Glenvar, Franklin County's Kyle Bidwell and Patrick Henry's Marcus Folden.

The excitement starts tonight. Watch the ball. Maybe you'll find Liberty's Jarrett Rusher.

The preseason work is complete. All the legwork is finished.

Just ask Franklin County's Wyatt Dunlap.

NORTHSIDE 22, Amherst County 21. Tonight's game in North Roanoke County is one of the premier matchups in the state on paper.

SALEM 21, Franklin County 13. The Spartans and Eagles have staged two of the area's most exciting finishes in the last two years.

CHRISTIANSBURG 24, Pulaski County 17. It's a big River Ridge District game. Oops, that's right. There are no River Ridge standings this year.

PATRICK HENRY 20, Hidden Valley 10. Patrick Henry will play for the first time at Dwight Bogle Stadium.

WILLIAM BYRD 21, Cave Spring 17. The Terriers edged the Knights in 2012 on a last-second field goal.

LORD BOTETOURT 31, James River 12. Botetourt leads the series 5-1 since it got fired up in 2007.

FLUVANNA COUNTY 22, William Fleming 14. The Colonels make a 284-mile round trip for the opener.

GEORGE WYTHE 27, Radford 21. The Bobcats trailed by only six points late in last year's 44-31 win by Wythe.

GILES 27, Blacksburg 20. These two neighbors have split their last six meetings, but Giles has won the last two.

GLENVAR 33, Galax 26. The Highlanders are looking for their first win in three tries in this series.

FLOYD COUNTY 25, Carroll County 14. Carroll gave up 41 points in the first half of its benefit game against Galax.

ROCKBRIDGE COUNTY 28, Parry McCluer 7. Rockbridge has outscored the Fighting Blues 90-7 in the last two openers.

LIBERTY 29, Staunton River 19. The Golden Eagles break out the single wing for a Bedford County rivalry.

ALLEGHANY 31, Covington 16. Gary Burdette makes his coaching debut in the battle for the Brackman Cup.

AUBURN 22, Narrows 20. A win here by the Eagles would halt the four-year losing streak at 39.

VIRGINIA EPISCOPAL 44, North Cross 37. The Raiders figure to be involved in plenty of Saturday shootouts this fall.

ROANOKE CATHOLIC 21, Rappahannock County 20. Rappahannock County is one of two VHSL schools that plays football but does not compete for a playoff spot.

BASSETT 33, North Stokes, N.C. 7. North Stokes is off to an 0-1 start after a 22-0 loss to Alleghany, N.C.

EASTERN MONTGOMERY 31, Bath County 15. Brian Lee makes his coaching debut for the Mustangs at home.

CRAIG COUNTY 25, Bland County 16. Craig will take the back roads to Bastian. The Rockets will hope to save their speed for the football field.

FORT CHISWELL 27, Rural Retreat 14. The Pioneers and Indians are now competing in the same playoff division.

GRAYSON COUNTY 29, Alleghany, N.C. 19. Grayson beat the boys from Sparta by 39 last year in Independence.

JEFFERSON FOREST 28, Halifax County 14. JF gave up 179 points in its last three regular season games in 2012.

MARION 24, Chilhowie 20. Marion plays its first game as a member of the Hogoheegee District. It's Jeff Robinson's first game as Chilhowie's coach.

MOREHEAD, N.C. 21, Martinsville 17. Martinsville coach Orion Martin makes his debut on the Bulldogs' sideline.

MAGNA VISTA 33, McMichael, N.C. 14. MMcMichael was blanked 32-0 by traditional Carolina power Reidsville last week.

HERITAGE 48, Patrick County 6. Not the easiest opener for a program that has lost 30 consecutive games.

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